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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28129179">psychedelic serendipity</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonburntmemory/pseuds/moonburntmemory'>moonburntmemory</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>ZKDrabbleDecember2020 [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - 1960s, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Bending (Avatar TV), F/M, Fluff, Getting Together, Hippies, Humor, Kissing, Recreational Drug Use, Woodstock, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, people have potty mouths beware</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 01:07:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,131</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28129179</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonburntmemory/pseuds/moonburntmemory</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's 1969 in New York and Katara's friends decide to pick up a hitchhiker in their Volkswagen van on their way to Woodstock. Little does she know, it'll change her life forever.</p><p>Day 17: Feelin' Sentimental</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Background Suki/Sokka - Relationship, Katara/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>ZKDrabbleDecember2020 [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2037616</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>ZK Drabble December 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>psychedelic serendipity</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>you would not believe the amount of research about the timeline of fruit roll-ups went into writing this. also just research into woodstock and 1960's drug slang in general. (this is heavily based on this story https://people.com/human-interest/couple-who-met-at-woodstock-finds-photo-50-years-later/ because it's absolutely adorable and makes my heart happy) that being said, there's probably some stuff that's wrong because i wasn't there.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Katara sauntered into the restaurant with no need to hurry, eyes scanning the room before she broke out into a huge grin.</p><p>Zuko sat in the middle of the fancy restaurant, criminally underdressed in his tattered brown bomber jacket with untidy gray hair and a wide grin on his face. She waltzed towards him, letting him take in the magnitude of the jeans, fringe, and ridiculously large earrings that marked them as a matching set. Two relics of the past amidst the goings of the present.</p><p>Katara took her seat across from Zuko, brushing a strand of loose, gray hair behind her ears. She took a moment to stare into his golden eyes, now surrounded by more wrinkles than before, but still just as bright as the day they met. </p><p>He'd been wearing the exact same jacket, eyes alight at the time, on that fateful day it could all be traced back to: June 15, 1969. </p><p>"What are you thinking about?" he asked her in a gently rasping voice.</p><p>"I guess I'm just feelin' sentimental," she smiled back with loving eyes.</p><p>***</p><p>Katara almost screamed into the driver's headrest where Aang was seated from her place in the backseat. "For the last time, Sokka, no! We haven't even gotten to the festival yet; you can't have a special brownie!"</p><p>"You're no fun. Remind me why we put you in charge of all the illegal substances, again?" Sokka pouted from the passenger seat, kicking his feet up on the dashboard of the Volkswagen van and turning down the blaring radio.</p><p>"Hey, get your feet off of Appa. Dude, you can't trash my car," Aang sighed loudly, this being the third reminder in just in the last hour of driving, with many more to come. His hemp, robe-like clothes resembling that of a monk couldn't even protect him from annoyance at Sokka's antics.</p><p>"Whoops, sorry," Sokka apologized, turning around to face Katara, "but, seriously, if you're gonna be a killjoy, hand the fun stuff over."</p><p>"Sokka, we all voted to have Katara handle the maryjane for this exact reason: so you wouldn't get zonked out on the car ride there and make us carry you everywhere. Besides, she'll probably save us all from dying at least once. The stuff stays with her," Suki sided with Katara, flicking her boyfriend on the head. The two of them were sporting matching tie-dyed t-shirts and pants with bandanas wrapped around their heads. Katara couldn't decide whether it was mortifying or adorable.</p><p>"Besides, what would you do with the stuff? You can't roll joints for shit, Sokka," Toph chimed in, causing everyone to giggle. Sokka's rolling skills were truly awful, with the best in the group being Toph, despite not being able to see. Her comically large men's pants, with what Katara suspected had once actually been a potato sack as a shirt tucked into them, shuffled as she crossed her legs.</p><p>"Hey!" Sokka protested.</p><p>"Oh, can it. We've all had to suffer through one of you limp-dick doobies before," Toph shot back, causing him to cross his arms and pout.</p><p>"It's okay, Sokka. We all have different talents. No one can beat your smoke rings, buddy," Aang consoled.</p><p>"Thanks, A-Hey, who's that on the side of the road?" </p><p>Katara craned her head towards the window and saw a tall figure with shaggy dark hair in a bomber jacket and jeans with a tent bag slung over his shoulder, thumb up. Aang slammed the brakes.</p><p>"Do you guys really think it's a good idea to pick up strange hitchhikers off of the road?" Katara wondered.</p><p>"It'll be fine. Aang and I will protect you, ladies, don't worry," Sokka crooned, blissfully unaware of Toph's snort and Suki's dirty look.</p><p>"And it's always best to spread peace and kindness, even with strangers," Aang reminded them, rolling down the window.</p><p>"Where you headed to?" he asked the stranger, who smoothed some hair out of his eyes to reveal a mottled scar over his left eye, surprising Katara.</p><p>"Uh, Woodstock," the stranger replied.</p><p>"Hey, us too!" Aang chirped. "Hop in, you can ride over with us!"</p><p>As the door slid open, Katara silently prayed that he wouldn't end up being an asshole or a murderer, but was left speechless upon seeing him up close.</p><p>Porcelain skin stood out against his jet black hair, which revealed a sharp and ruggedly handsome face when pushed back. His pale cheeks flushed pink when he sputtered out, "Hello, Zuko here."</p><p>Gingerly closing the door, he settled into the farthest seat of Katara's row and shifted his tent onto his lap. She tried her hardest to suppress a blush rivaling his own.</p><p>"Hi, Zuko! I'm Aang, this is Sokka," Aang greeted, gesturing next to him, "and his sister Katara is right next to you, with Toph and Suki in the row behind."</p><p>"Thank you, for picking me up. I, uh, really appreciate it."</p><p>"No problem. It's our pleasure. If you really think about it, everyone in the world was related at some point. So we gotta help out brothers and sisters, right?" Aang announced, pulling his round sunglasses from his shaved forehead onto his eyes.</p><p>"You guys must have really good pot," Zuko chuckled.</p><p>"It's Woodstock, who doesn't?" Toph asked with a devilish grin.</p><p>Zuko smiled. "Well, only the absolute morons. And me."</p><p>"Don't worry. I don't think you'll be able to throw a rock and not hit someone giving it out," Katara joked, almost gasping when he met her gaze with his piercing amber eyes, quirking up his only eyebrow.</p><p>"Katara, right? You, uh, have a point," he admitted, holding a hand out for her to shake. She took it firmly without hesitation, the air seeming to crackle between them. She could feel the eyes on them and accompanying smirks in the van, so Katara pulled away sheepishly.</p><p>"Yeah, I'm Katara. But what I'm also wondering is how you ended up halfway to Woodstock stranded on the side of the street."</p><p>"Well, that's a long story," he chuckled. "but let's just say that I, uh, had a disagreement that ended up getting me kicked out of a car. I forgot all of my boy scout training and was <em>not </em>prepared."</p><p>"Man, that is not groovy. That story is so sad that you should give me the brownies," Sokka pestered Katara.</p><p>"Ask me again and I'm cutting you off for the whole festival. You'll have to drop acid with strangers," Katara warned.</p><p>Sokka raised his hands in surrender, causing Katara to smirk under Zuko's watchful gaze that was hard to ignore. When she met his eyes, they both jolted slightly and suddenly took an incredible interest in the scenery outside of the windows.</p><p>The rest of the drive passed by in a flash amidst all of the joking and arguing, intensified by Zuko's awkward shyness and everyone's attempts to get a rise out of him. A flushing mess, he'd already been accepted into the group by the time Aang announced, "Beautiful creatures of the universe, we have arrived!"</p><p>The gang started to dutifully unload the van of its contents. As Katara hoisted her backpack out of the van and struggled to put it on, Zuko hesitantly offered, "You want help with that?"</p><p>Katara looked up at him through her lashes and nodded, not trusting herself to speak without embarrassing herself. He helped her to lift the bag, slinging it over the shoulder not occupied by this tent, which Katara now saw was awfully beat up.</p><p>"Uh, it's fine, I can carry it," Katara insisted, willing her voice not to shake.</p><p>"No, it's too heavy. A pretty girl like you shouldn't have to carry her own bags," Zuko replied, eyes widening at the realization of what he'd said. </p><p>"I-uh- my uncle told me to always- I-"</p><p>"It's fine, Zuko. That's very sweet of you. But please be careful with the bag and don't ditch us. It has all the stuff if you know what I mean."</p><p>"Ah, I see. Very important," Zuko gulped.</p><p>Closer to the van, Katara could distantly make out Suki holding a protective Sokka back with her arm, whispering something indiscernible. Katara figured she had a good idea what that was about, considering the smirks all of her friends were sending towards her and Zuko.</p><p>Her embarrassment was all but banished upon sharing a smile with Zuko.</p><p> </p><p>This was where it got hazy. Katara remembered finally gave in to Sokka's pestering about recreational drug usage (inspired by the many, many people getting loaded around them) and passed out the brownies. </p><p>The music started and the sun set, leaving only the warmth of the crowd of bodies around them. Years later, Katara would only be able to recall the night in hazy flashes (due to being completely blitzed with Aang's preferred strain). </p><p>
  <em> Humidity and sweat rolling off of her forehead into the grass, ever slowly. Long, dark hair falling over her shoulders and face, twirling around the bare skin of her stomach. The small coughs wracking her lungs as the smoke engulfs her. His fingers on the joint, face pointed up as he takes a drag. The feeling of a scar brushing up against her cheek. Arms around her from behind as she sways to the music.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Then it went black until clarity returned along with the sun at the sound of someone rasping, "What the fuck?"</p><p>Katara sleepily swung up, her hair a rat's nest sticking up at odd angles. "Where the hell am I?" she wondered, blinking the sleep out of her eyes.</p><p>Turning her head to utilize her newly restored vision, Katara's eyes widened at the sight of Zuko in front of her, mouth open. Following his shocked eye line, it was at this point she realized that she was not, in fact, wearing only her high-waisted, bellbottom jeans and a lacy white bra.</p><p>"And where's my shirt? Oh my, did we?"</p><p>Zuko shook his head violently. "No, no, we didn't. We're in my tent because I think... Sokka set yours on fire last night? But we just slept together. Wait, but, uh, not like that, you know," he rambled.</p><p>"Then where's my shirt?" Katara blanched, covering her<em> assets </em>with her hands.</p><p>"Uh, I think it suffered the same fate as the tent. Sokka accepted cake from strangers... got the munchies? And tried making s'mores?" Zuko recalled with an unsure tone.</p><p>"How do you remember so much? I swear, I'm still high we got so zonked last night," Katara groaned, thankful for the fact she at least didn't have a hangover. She'd only smoked grass, ensuring back-to-back partying all night long.</p><p>"My tolerance is higher than yours because I'm bigger," Zuko explained, sheepishly shrugging off his jacket and holding it out for her. He was left in only a thin wifebeater, with his muscles clearly showing through. Not that Katara noticed, of course.</p><p>Covering herself, she smiled back. "Thanks. I'm starving. Wanna get breakfast together?"</p><p>It was still early, with the sun only recently started to peak up over the horizon (especially considering they'd been out until almost 4 in the morning according to Zuko), so they were the only ones up. Katara didn't mind as she sat on a fallen log, nestled into him while wearing his oversized jacket to stave off the cold.</p><p>"You guys go hard; last night was a blast," Zuko broke the silence between them.</p><p>"Yeah, well, I'm glad you stuck around with us. You're a lot of fun too, y'know?" </p><p>Zuko blushed furiously, so Katara hurriedly continued in order to avoid the awkward atmosphere forming between them.</p><p>"So, why are you here?' Katara asked over a mouthful of blueberries muffin, looking to her side where he was also stuffing his face. As she moved, her oversized, rainbow peace sign earrings jangled.</p><p>He swallowed. "In the universe... or here in particular?"</p><p>"Here, in Bethel," Katara clarified with a grin.</p><p>"Well, partially because my sister kicked me out of her car and you guys picked me up. Mostly to piss my dad off. He hates knowing his son hangs out with 'dirty, protesting hippies', so I love hanging out with 'dirty, protesting hippies'."</p><p>"Sorry about your sister, but really? What's so bad about us hippies?" Katara teased, fumbling with the collar of his jacket.</p><p>"Nothing, I think you guys are wicked. But my dad's an asshole military type, so he's always complaining about them not wanting to go off and die for his bullshit cause," Zuko said, frowning slightly.</p><p>"Oh... I'm sorry. That must be tough," Katara sympathized, leaning in closer.</p><p>"Yeah, he's also not too keen he couldn't ship me off to 'Nam, on account of this," Zuko sighed, pointing at his scar. "Only thing being legally blind in one eye has ever been good for: I can't shoot worth shit. Fuck the man, right?"</p><p>"Well, I'm actually Canadian, but that's the spirit. Otherwise Sokka would have definitely draft-dodged by now. But the Canadian government's an asshole too, sometimes. Especially when natives are involved," Katara said in a low voice.</p><p>"Yeah, the western world isn't as great as they make it out to be when you're not white," Zuko raised his eyebrows.</p><p>Katara burst out laughing. At Zuko's confused expression, she explained, "I like your sense of humor."</p><p>Blushing, Zuko eagerly steered the conversation away from the compliment. "So, how about the rest of the gang sleeping? Why are all of you here?"</p><p>"Aang's the one who found out about it; he's very hippy-dippy peaceful-protesting, move onto a commune oriented. Toph loves rock music. Suki likes the atmosphere and staying up all night. As for my brother Sokka, he's here for the hash," Katara explained with an earnest smile.</p><p>"What about you?" Zuko asked, locking eyes.</p><p>She met his gaze with unwavering blue eyes. "All of it, I guess. And the chance to meet some new and interesting people."</p><p>"Have you? Met any interesting people?" he asked, leaning in slightly.</p><p>"Yeah, you could say so," Katara replied, settling into the crook of his shoulder.</p><p>He turned away. "So, I know Woodstock Katara, who's here to meet the people. But what's regular Katara like? Who are you in the real world?"</p><p>"Who says I have to be part of the real world? For all you know, I live on an egalitarian commune and grow my own potatoes," Katara whispered playfully.</p><p>Zuko smiled and then turned to her with a piercing gaze. "I know we all love the idea of the lifestyle, but most of the people here are eventually gonna have to face the facts and participate in the real world. We're all gonna have to become apart of the system we're protesting against. And you seem like a practical girl, the kind that'll start sooner than later."</p><p>"I don't suppose you're an exception to this rule. So this is only Woodstock Zuko? Is there a real-world equivalent I'm not familiar with?" she asked.</p><p>"Yes, he's an asshole. I'd stay clear of him if I were you," he smiled.</p><p>Katara raised her eyebrows, opening and closing her mouth before responding with mirth. "To answer your question, I'm about to start my junior year at NYU. As for what's next, I have no clue."</p><p>The piercing gaze and even sharper tongue were suddenly replaced with incredulous excitement."Really? That's crazy. I start my first year of law school at Columbia in the fall. We'll be so close."</p><p>"New York isn't that big. Maybe we'll see each other around and I'll get to meet that gigantic asshole Zuko in his natural habitat," Katara moved so close she could feel his breath, hot against her skin. They'd only known each other less than a day, but Katara was more sure of this than she'd ever been.</p><p>Her eyes closed automatically, allowing her to focus on his lips and only his lips. They were warm and chapped and the only thing on this plane of existence. A little earthy with a hint of smoke, Zuko's lips were familiar and new all at once.</p><p>They almost didn't notice the tapping on their shoulders, pulling away only when the intruder cleared his throat. "Hey, do you two mind if I snap a picture?"</p><p>Katara and Zuko shared a look, floored by the audacity, but figured 'fuck it' and nodded. Katara leaned in, her bare feet encircled with Zuko's, white bralette peeking out from under his jacket. His arms encircled her, a reserved smile not canceling out the intensity of his eyes. Katara's own drifted to her side to rest on him instead of the camera, but her grin was wide and happy. </p><p>"Thanks, you guys are adorable," the strange guy said, lighting a blunt and snaking off just as quickly as he came.</p><p>Once he had faded into the distance, Katara whispered, "That was so strange. We either just met a hardcore hobo or god, little g, and I don't wanna know which."</p><p>Zuko chuckled, leaning in to kiss her again before a huge commotion came from the nearby tent as Sokka's voice yelled, "Oh god, whose bra am I wearing?!?!?!?!"</p><p>***</p><p>"I think you're about to get even more sentimental," Zuko grinned.</p><p>Katara gave a little laugh. "What's that supposed to mean?"</p><p>He didn't answer, but gingerly reached into his pocket and pulled out a plain glass frame, sliding it across the table.</p><p>Katara's mouth dropped in shock and tears started to well in her eyes. Staring back at her was a young Zuko and herself, wearing the exact same clothes they donned today, nestled together with smiles. Her eyes were locked onto him, but they both had a certain look to them, like they knew something no one else was in on. Some spiritual secret about the nature of the universe only unlocked through drugs and destiny. It was the first picture ever taken of them, on that fateful day that had created the foundation upon which they'd built a shared life upon.</p><p>"Where did you find it? Oh my, I thought we'd never see it. Zuko, this is..." Katara was practically speechless.</p><p>"Only took me half a century," he smirked, smile lines around his eyes becoming far more prominent. </p><p>"My bra is showing, the kids are going to die when they see this," Katara laughed.</p><p>"Happy Anniversary, Katara. It's been a wonderful 50 years and I'll take as many more as I can get, as long as I have you," Zuko toasted with a raised glass of champagne.</p><p>Katara closed her eyes before opening them again to take in the sight of chance and fate and serendipity, also known as the husband sitting across from her. The clink of their glasses rang out in her ears the way the rain had the first night they'd spent together, so long ago. "To June 15th."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i'd like to think i'm done with this au, but if we're being realistic, an epilogue (idk of them taking their kids to burning man or 'sokka's marijuana misadventures') will probably pop into existence at some point lol.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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